I leave for Florence soon, and I still cannot picture myself there. Saying goodbye to friends and family does not feel real. It has not yet processed in my head this will be the last time I see them for a while. I will be missing out on birthday’s, and holidays with family.

It feels like I have been talking and preparing for this trip for what feels like forever, but it is finally right around the corner. I do not know if I am ready for it entirely, there is still so much to get and pack before then. That is something people who have traveled abroad do not mention is how hard it is to pack. You cannot pack everything, but you need to make sure you have enough. Depending on where you are going, you do not know if you  will be able to buy the same things you are used to at home. It is not just clothes you have to pack but towels, sheets, converters and anything else you might need for a four month long trip. I am lucky my program provides linens, but that is not always the case.

Even though it is normal to feel nervous I am also extremely excited for what the next four months will bring. I have friends who are in different programs in Italy, who are already there, telling me how much I will love it, and they make me more anxious to be there already. I will miss New Paltz, my family and friends, but at the same time this is such an amazing opportunity it is worth being a little homesick. I am very fortunate to be apart of the 3% of college students who study abroad.

I think the part I am most looking forward to is the food. I am looking forward to living in what is considered one of the best food capitals in the world. I have only heard good things about the city’s cuisine from past travelers. They all say how fresh everything is, and I will never taste anything quite like it. I definitely plan to eat my way through Italy!